Privy-seat



MI W (No Model.)

' H. J. MITCHELL.

PRIVY SEAT.

No. 429,145. Patented June 3, 1890.

I l I I I I I I I I I l l l I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J. MITCHELL, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

PRlVY-SEAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,145, dated June 3, 1890.

Application filed January 20, 1890. Serial No. 337,449. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Privy-Seats, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for opening and closing the hole in privy-seats and controlling certain ventilating devices in connection therewith.

The invention consists in the devices hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my improvements, Figure 1 is a plan view of aprivy-seat provided with the improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same on the line x of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is also a sectional elevation on the lines y y of Figs. 1 and 2.

In said drawings, 1 designates an ordinary privy-seat having the usual hole 2. On the top of the seat 1 is a frame 3 at the sides and rear of the hole 2. To this frame is pivoted at 4 a seat 5, having a hole 6 coinciding with the hole 2. This seat being pivoted at its rear edge is capable of being turned to upright position when desired. In its normal position the seat rests on the top of a vertical bar 7, which holds the front portion a suitable distance above the seat or board 1. Beneath the board 1 the bar 7 is connected to acrank 8 on a horizontal transverse rod 9. On the rear end of this rod is attached a bellcrank 10, to which is connected a spring 11, that has its outer end fastened to the end wall of the box 12, of which the board 1 is the top. The depression of the hinged seat 5 from its elevated position to come into contact with the board 1 thrusts the bar7 downward, and this movement gives the crankrod 9 a partial turn. Near the middle of the crank-rod is attached a disk or plate 13, that in normal position closes the hole 2 from the under side, and the partial rotation of the crank-rod by the depression of the seat 5 turns the disk 13 downward to or past a vertical position, and upon the release of the seat 5 the force of the spring 11 retracts the parts to their original position.

In addition to the means for rotating the crank-rod above described, there is provided at the front of thebox 12, near its base, a footboard 14:, pivoted at 15 near its front edge at the ends, and having its inner margin supported by a short rod 16, that is connected by a rod 16 to the bar 7. The depression of the board 14 will obviously operate the crankrod in the same manner as the depression of the seat 5.

In the rear wall of the box 12 is a ventilating-opening 17, and in an end wall a like opening 18, to which may be connected a ventilating-pipe (not shown.) To the bell-crank 10 is connected by means of a screw 19 a disk 20, adapted to close the opening 17 when the crank-rod is partially rotated by the depression of the bar 7. Thus in use ordinarily there will be free ventilation, by reason of an inward draft through the opening 17 and an outward flow through the opening 18, the hole 2 being closed. Upon the seat 5 being depressed the disk 13 is turned downward and the disk 20 is caused to slide over and close the opening 17. A convenient and useful arrangement of devices is thus organized that is adapted to be applied to ordinary privy-seats.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- The combination, with a privy-seat and its box, of a superposed pivoted seat, a crankrod carrying a plate for closing the hole in the lower seat, means for rocking the rod on depression of the upper seat, and a crank and spring for reversing the movement, ventilating-apertures in said box, and a plate operated by said rod to close one of said apertures upon the lowering of the upper seat, substantially as set forth.

HENRY J. MITCHELL.

W itnesses:

E. M. SCHUMANN, P. H. GUNCKEL. 

